California State University-Chico Top Questions

Get better study habits and be prepared for a lot more homework.

Yesenia, as a college student I know that expressing your feelings and thoughts will get you more friends and your opinions are greatly looked upon and the students will respect you and they will come to you when they need help. I know that you are very quite and shy but you tend to be talkative and outgoing when you have your friends with you. Well, in college you are not going to have your high school friends .You're going to be more outgiong and you will have more friends then you wish for but your future friends will be friends that you can trust upon and you rely on. Furthermore, college classes are going to be harder then you plan for. Don't panic and stress if you're not doing well in your classes the first weeks in school, it happens to everyone. Don't be afraid to ask for help because everyone in college is willing to help you. And students in college have a lot of fun but they study hard and do excellent in school. Be happy and enjoy your first year in college and do things you wouldn't imagine yourself doing.

Don't stress about the small things such as getting perfect grades or taking so many honors classes if you know you are going to a junior college. Instead, focus that time on internships, clubs, organizations, and volunteer work. These along with good grades look great on a resume and most importantly shape you and help you to undestand what you want to pursue as far a degree.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior all I would do is reassure myself that I was making the right decision. I would not be able to tell myself honestly that college is not one of the hardest experiences of my life so far, but I would be able to ensure myself that it was one of the best. I would tell myself to not be afraid to be open to new experiences, and especially new people. College, besides giving a person a wonderful opportunity to pursue their education, is also a great place to meet lifelong friends. On top of this I would remind myself not to procrastinate! The easiest way to be successful in school and deal with all the stress that comes with it, is to keep up with your homework and reading. Cramming just leads to exhaustion and a temporary memorization of the material at hand, while keeping up with the coursework from day one leads to mastery of the subject, and much more sleep at night. Above all else however, I would just remind myself that I am going to be okay.

The best thing that you can do is tour the campus and talk to students who are currently attending the school.

I would say visit as many of the prospect colleges as possible. I fell in love with my school based on the campus look, feel, and size. I would also advise to know a little about what you wanted to do and pick a college that would help you out in that field in the future. For instance, if you wanted to becoome a lawyer find a school that has a high acceptance rate into law schools. The most important part of picking a college for me was finding the right atmosphere. Make sure that your college is a place that you can make lasting friendships in. A place that has people that you would want you or your child to surround themselves with. In order to sum everything up; pick an environment in which you can grow. A place where you could possibly see yourself staying after college.

find a school that has a few things you're interested in majoring in, then a town that fits your personality! (busy/traffic/shopping/laid back...etc...)

I would advise students and parents to find a college that the student feels most compfortable at. Keep in mind if they want a competitive college, sports, greek life, or culturally diverse. I chose Chico state because It was gorgeous and I loved the community. If your students feel overwhelmed and scared when looking at a college, I would say it was not for them. If they feel excited and relaxed in a certain college environment I would reccomend that college. Keep other things in mind such as financhial aid scholarships, as well as number of graduates.

My advice to is find a college in an area where you feel comfortable and alive (big city, small town), and once you get there, get involved! The more active and involved you are in campus clubs and groups, or even volunteering off campus, the friends you will make the bigger support group you will create. This is key to surviving college. And you will walk away with priceless experience that the books do not teach you. Have fun, but don't forget the reason you are there: to go to school. College is about balance: social time, study time, work time, me time, family time. Put aside a little time for each, stay on top of the homework, go to class, get involved, eat well, call home, and you will be successful. Good luck!

Don't try too hard to impress or be anyone but yourself, if you have doubts about a school you may just not have found the right one yet. Keep looking until you're in an environment you know won't make you homesick while you're gone.